The Joint Constitutional Review Committee yesterday adopted a report recommending an amendment to the Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation.
It has now been referred to the National Assembly for consideration.
“In two weeks’ time there will be a debate [on the report],” said Committee co-chairperson Lewis Nzimande. “I think there was a consensus that we will want to have a debate in the House [National Assembly] when we are adopting the report.”
Following the debate – and depending on the resolution from National Assembly – the report will be forwarded to either a Portfolio Committee or an ad hoc committee to determine its programme which will provide the timelines of the processing of the Bill of Rights.
“That committee is bound to draft a bill which will be put out for 30 days for the public to comment and after the 30 days they will reconvene and set up a proper programme,” Nzimande added.
This will be the first time that an amendment will be made on a section in the Bill of Rights and will require a majority vote in the National Assembly in order to be passed.
